Former India Captain Sourav Ganguly Could Be Next BCCI President. Here’s Why

Former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian national team Sourav Ganguly could become the next president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The news came after the Supreme Court recently approved a new constitution that incorporates most key recommendations of the Lodha committee. The change in the constitution could force the BCCI to look at getting former Indian cricketers for the top post.

With the cooling-off period provision there in the newly-approved constitution, most of the current and past administrators are ineligible for the BCCI president post. And according to reports, as per the SC’s redefinition of the “cooling-off” clause, Sourav Ganguly is one of the most prominent candidates to take charge of the BCCI after the new constitution is registered and fresh elections conducted.

Although the Supreme Court had relaxed the cooling-off clause for office-bearers serving more than one term, the current office-bearers of the BCCI — acting president C K Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry — are said to be still ineligible to contest in the next board elections.

And as per the provision, IPL governing council chairman Rajeev Shukla and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur are also among those who will not be eligible to contest.

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However, the report said that Sourav Ganguly, who has been an administrator for four years, would be eligible for BCCI elections without taking a cooling-off break provided he resigns from his CAB post.

The former India captain is into his third term as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

But it is said that if Ganguly becomes BCCI president, he would have to give up the post after two years as he would be completing a cumulative period of six years. Meanwhile, it is reportedly said that Ganguly will only enter the fray if there are no opponents.

Needless to mention, the Indian board is eyeing the former captain as someone who could give the BCCI an image makeover following a string of administrative controversies. The board members also believe that under him, even for a period of two years, there will be stability in management. Ganguly retired from international cricket in 2008, and played in the IPL until 2012, before moving towards administration.